Shopping carts of the type employed in large numbers at grocery stores or supermarkets have remained relatively unchanged over the years. These carts typically include a wire basket rigidly mounted to a frame, and rollers mounted to the frame bottom for rolling support thereof.
One problem associated with these shopping carts is that after purchase of the items, and transport from the store to the automobile, the shopping bags must be unloaded from the cart to the car. In some instance, such as when shopping at bulk wholesale food centers, grocery bags are not even provided so that the items must be individually unloaded. Subsequently, the carts are either left in the parking space, reducing parking, or the users return the carts to a common checkpoint. Moreover, once at home, the groceries must be unloaded from the car and brought into the home bag by bag. This task is especially difficult and burdensome when the distance from the car to the home is far or several trips are required.
Other disadvantages associated with these shopping carts is that the supermarket owners must provide storage space, both inside the store and outside the store, for all the carts. These carts, further, must be frequently collected from the parking lots by supermarket personnel, and replaced or repaired when stolen or broken due to normal wear. Hence, the supermarkets overhead is increased which, of course, is passed onto the consumer.
In some institutions, in an effort to avoid theft, the travel of the carts are limited within the confines of a fence in the parking lot. This only adds to the customer's inconvenience because they must then carry their items to the car from that point. In other instances, coin deposits are required to unlock the shopping carts for use. After use of the cart, the customer is forced to either forfeit their coin each time they shop or return the cart to a common check point for return of their deposit.
In response to these above-mentioned problems, portable collapsing shopping carts have been developed which are capable of storing in an automobile. Typical of patented prior art collapsible carts are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,624,467; 4,492,388; and 3,082,016. These carts, however, generally include complex interengaging components necessary to effect collapse. Accordingly, costs are increased as well as potential for breakage. Moreover, some of these carts require removal of the items from the basket so that the cart may be collapsed.